Circle Time Name Recognition SongTeachers can use this circle time activity
from Debragail S. to help children recognize their names, recognize
the letters of the alphabet, to take attendanceand to begin graphing.

Materials: Laminated poster board, velcro,
a variety of colors of laminated name tags.

Description: Divide poster board into two
sides straight down the middle. Left side label at top, "At Home", right
side label at top, "At School". Create a laminated name tag for each
child and place velcro on the back. Place the same number of sticky back
velcro pieces to each side of the chart as there are children in the class.
During circle time, I have a little ritual. I'll sing to the tune
of...

"If
You're Happy and Know It". If your name is _______ come and find
your name If your name is _______ come and find
your name If your name is _______ and it begins
with the letter ____ If your name is _______ come and find
your name.

When I sing their name each child has a turn
to come up to the poster board and remove their name from the "at home"
side to the "at school" side of the board. When everyone has had a turn, we distinguish
who is still at home and who is in class for the day.

Comments: You can make variety of shapes
sizes for your name tags.

Circle Time MatsCombine creativity and fine motor skills during
this name recognition activity by Amy.

Description: We make place mats for circle
time on the second day of school. The child's name is already written on the construction
paper. I set up a table with stickers, markers, dotters and the children
decorate all but where their name is, some decorate that, too! We
laminate immediately and use all year for circle time.

In the beginning of the school year, they
are great for name recognition. In the end of the school year, they are great for
class management! The children's mats are laid out each day and they
find their names and sit!

Comments: This is easy and fun! Great
for those first few days in September.

Circle
Time Name PlatesChildren can identify their own name and
their classmates name's during this emerging literacy activity from
Brenda
H.

Materials: Sample floor tiles and a permanent
marker.

Description: I go to the floor care store
and ask if they have any floor tile samples, in my area the store down the street
does floor covering. They donate floor sample tiles of all different colors
which are attached by a chain. I then bring them back to my center and write each
child's name and name symbol on them.

At morning circle the helper hands out the
name plates to the children, and children are encouraged to recognize their
name in print and their symbol. The children sit on these and at the end
of the morning circle they hand them back to the teacher before going to
wash their hands.

This is a great way for children to stay
in their own space during circle time, and to help them recognize
their name and their friends name in print.

Comments: I have found that each child learns
his or her name and their classmates names. When the children see their
names or their friends names on papers etc. they can put the papers into
their own cubby or into their friends cubbies. It works very well.

Name
TagsYoung children use emerging literacy skills
as they recognize their symbol and then progress to recognizing their name
during this preschool activity by Susan C.

Materials: Small rubber stamps (a different
shape or picture for each child), ink pad, name tags - we use different ones each
month which the children decorate.

Description: At the beginning of the year
I assign a different symbol to each child in my preschool class. I used
to use stickers but I have found that small rubber stamps work better. Everywhere
the children see their names I also stamp their symbol such as: on
their cubbies, their name tags that they wear the first few days, their
daily board name tags etc. I put the symbol first, then their name. As the year progresses they go from "reading"
their symbol to "reading" other classmates' symbols to recognizing their
names and so forth. Usually by January I can remove the symbol or put it on the
back of that month's name tag so the children can self check when looking for
their names.

Name
RecognitionDuring these emerging literacy activities
Patty
K. helps children recognize their first names.

Materials: Tag board, felt markers and teacher
made place cards in the shape of bears.

Description:1. Each hook for hanging personal
belongings has a number and name, so from the first day the children see
their names.

2. Every morning I change the order
of the bear name place cards that I have made. When the children
arrive they search for their name and place along with their mom or dad
and that is their place for the day. This way everyone gets a chance
to meet the whole room.

3. During circle time I hold up cards
with the names and see who can recognize their own name. If the children don't respond,
I sing:

"If your name is (Joey), raise
your hand"

We clap for each and every child. It only
takes about two weeks before every child recognizes their own name.
Amazing!

Name
Recognition with Clothes PinsRuth C. uses clothes pins and this
simple matching activity to help young children recognize the letters of
the alphabet in their names.

Materials: Tag board desk name plates, markers
and clothes pins.

Description: I write the children's names
on desk name plates, laminate them and then attach one clothes pin for each letter
of their name. I then write one letter of their names on each
clothes pin and attach it below the written letter. They can then take
them off and put them on again until they learn to spell and recognize
their names

Name
WallAlong with supporting name recognition teachers
can use this Name Wall
by Cindi to introduce the letters of the alphabet, to introduce
beginning letter sounds, to introduce graphing and to develop a sense of
community.

Materials: Purchased or teacher made a-b-c
line, 3x5 index cards with each child's name neatly printed (in the
style they will be exposed to).

Description: Hang your a-b-c line at the
children's eye level. Post their names above the corresponding beginning
letter. Encourage them to point and name the letters of the alphabet, to
compare who else's name begins with their letter. The conversations can
be endless!

Comments: You may want to see which print
style the kindergarten class is using. So you can start exposing them to the print
they will eventually write.

Name
PuzzlesKathleen Y. suggests using these
puzzles in your ABC center, Learning Games area or with a pocket chart.

Description: To support children as they
identify names of students in the classroom teachers write each student's
name on a sentence strip card. Make sure that each name is bold.
Often times when I use lighter colors, the names will not stand up
to an entire year's use. Darker colors work better.

After you have all of the names on your cards,
cut them in zig zag shapes. After cutting all of them, place them
in a Ziploc bag, and have the children sit on the carpet and match
up the puzzle pieces to make their names. They will be excited to
see their names, as well as their friend's names!

Picture
Name PuzzlesPreschool youngsters match their own pictures
with their names during this activity by Linda B. that promotes
self esteem and name recognition.

Materials: Pictures of a children and heavy
paper.

Description: Take a 10" heavy strip of paper
and glue a child's picture on the left side. Write the child's name on
the right side. You may want to laminate to protect!Cut each one apart differently (> < \
/) and mix them all up. The children need to put their picture and name
together.

Comments: I work in a classroom with "Special
Needs" as well as "Typical" children. They all love putting these
puzzles together.

Name
Concentration GameSue M. offers this game saying, "This
activity is used to introduce the child to his or her name in print and
to develop memory skills".

Materials: Child's name printed on tag board
and laminated.

Description: During circle time, place
each child's name face up on the floor in the middle of the circle
Review the name of each child and the placement of the cards, then turn
them face down. Call on each child to recall the placement of his
or her card and have him or her turn the card face up when he or she has
correctly identified it.

Comments: Children quickly learn to recognize
their own names when used in this game-like setting.

5 Name Recognition IdeasJaki W. suggests these five ideas
that promote emerging literacy.

Description:1. Teachers write each child's name
below his or her picture. Copy or scan each child's picture then laminate
and place on child's cubby, on the helpers chart, art board and any place
where child's belongings are located.

2. Trace child's name with a yellow highlighter
and let the child trace over it with a dark colored marker or crayon.

3. To help children recognize their names,
make a plain name tag and let childrencolor them. The teacher then writes the
child's name on the name tag.

4. Play a name game by writing each child's
name on colorful paper cutouts and letting the child find his or her name.

5. If you are on a transportation theme,
make paper airplanes, cars and boats with the child's name on them. Spread them out
on the playground and encourage children to find their name. This is a
good idea to use for reinforcement during an Easter Egg Hunt!

Textured Name WritingYoungsters use fine motor skills and have
fun during this creative activity by Jamie

Description: Fold a rectangle sheet of paper
in half the long way. On one side of the paper write a child's name.
Have children trace their names with white glue (elmer's glue works great) and have
them place corn kernels on the glue. You could use any kind of product. Sand
works great too!

Comments: My children in class loved this
activity. I gave them a selection of corn, sand, glitter and paper dots to use.

Sensory:
Tactile Name CardTeachers can make these sensory name cards
from Misty B. or children can make their own.

Materials: Name cards, tacky glue, sand (if
possible colored), a recycled plastic spice jar from home to put the sand
in helps control the sand when shaking.

Description: Write the child's name on the
card with a pencil, then use tacky glue and trace over the letters one at a
time, then shake sand onto the letter. Repeat until you have completed
the child's name and let dry before using.

Comments: While in a group have children
trace over their name using their finger. This is a great activity for name and letter
recognition

Parent
Involvement: "Name Story"Involve parents, help preschoolers learn
about their names and promote self identity with this activity by Maggie.

Materials: Book On The Day
You Were Born

Description: Ask the parents of the children
in your classroom if their child is named after someone in their family
or if they have a special story about how they got their name. Before doing
this activity I read the book On
the Day You Were Born and stress how special each of
them are and then talk about theirnames. It is a lot of fun and I shared
about my own children and how they got their names.

Home
Activity: Name Recognition BookTeachers can offer this suggestion from
Darlene
S. to parents for a home activity to reinforce name recognition and
to promote emerging literacy.

Description: Take photographs of your child's
belongings, i.e. bed, shoes, coat, pet, bedroom etc. Put one picture
on a page and write on it "Natalie's Bedroom" then on the next page, "Natalie's shoes"
etc. With each page the child will see their name and a vocabulary word.

Graphing:
"Sizing Up The Class"Dana E. uses this activity to foster
self esteem, to introduce measurement and to introduce differences and
similarities.

Materials: Roll of tickets, tape and a camera
with film.

Description: Take a picture of each child
in the room. Make several copies. If you have a digital camera this is great.
If not the photo copies will work well too!

Have the children line up outside of the
classroom in no particular order. Place the child's picture and printed name above
their head and tape it to the wall.

Unroll the tickets to the child's height.
Take a measuring stick and write under the child's picture how tall they
are. Continue until everyone has had a turn. Discuss the differences
in sizes. How each one is unique.

Make a graph using words and symbols. For
example: Darlene is taller than Sarah, Sarah is shorter than Darlene.
Use the pictures of the children to make this chart easier for name recognition.
Who is the tallest in the class? Who is the shortest in the class?
Who are close to the same height? These are words the children will love
to hear. They will be proud to be the smallest if the teacher does
it right!

Comments: Great for seeing how much the children
have grown at the end of the year! If you get tired of the display,
save the tickets and at the end of the year hang them up side by side to show the children
how much they have grown. You will be amazed yourself!

The
Name GameLinda M. helps children recognize
their names in print with this teacher made game.

Materials: Paper and pencil or Computer.

Description: On a computer make a graph with
a total of 9 boxes that fill the screen. Next, in each box write either
a child's name, Mom or Dad. Each name will be listed twice. This becomes
the game card. You may make several cards with names in a different order. Next
make additional sheets that can be cut apart as the cards for the game.

Mom

Dad

child's name

Dad

child's name

child's name

child's name

child's name

Mom

To play
the game the cards are placed in the center. Each team
member takes turns drawing a card and placing them on
their game sheet. The first child to fill up their card wins.
As you play have the child tell you who's name he or she has drawn.
Before you know it the child will easily recognize his or her name in print.

Options: You can make each name a different
color to reinforce color recognition as well. As the child masters their
name and Mom and Dad try including siblings.

Musical Name RecognitionHave fun with this music and movement activity
by Diane K. that promotes recognition of children's own names as
well as those of their classmates.

Description: We put the names down on the
floor in a circle. Children march, tiptoe etc. around the circle to music.
When music stops we read the names that we have stopped in front of or
are standing on top of. For very young children, 2-3 years old, have them
march, slither etc. around the room to the music while putting down their
names around the room. When the music stops they go and stand on
their own name. Lots of fun and they are really motivated!

Tracing
Name RecognitionChildren will be able to trace their names
with this easy activity from Angelica A.

Materials: Sentence strips and laminator
or you can use index cards instead of sentence strips.

Description: First, trace the child's first
and last name on sentence strips with a black marker. Next, laminate
the sentence strips. Finally, have the child place a white sheet
on top of the sentence strip and trace his or her name.

Transition
Activity: "Preschool Stars"Promote children's self esteem while teaching
children to recognize their names during this transition activity by Mitzi
G.

Materials: Construction paper, marker and
clear contact paper.

Description: Write each child's name on a
large shape. I used stars. We use contact paper to stick the stars to the
floor. When it is time to transition from group time to go to lunch or outside play,
I tell each child to stand on their star. We also have two extra
stars at the front for door person and leader. It also has taught them
to stand in a line. And by using a star it helps build their self-esteem.
We tell all of the children that they are stars!

Name,
Shapes, and Colors!Mitzi G. contributes this multi purpose
teacher made card that can be used to encourage learning about shapes,
colors, counting as well as name recognition.

Materials: Neon colored poster board,
construction paper and markers.

Description: We cut large shapes out of poster
board. The kind that comes in a package with six (11x14). We write
each child's name on one of them, then on the back glue different colored
circles. There are different activities to do with these.

At group time I hold up their card and ask
"Whose name is this?" Then once all the cards are handed out I ask
"Those who have red dots hold your card up." You can have the kids
count how many red dots, blue dots, green dots etc. You can also ask children to hold up rectangles, square,
circles etc. And count them. You can have the children stand, jump, hop,
etc.